The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (4 vols., libros 1–18) · 2 · 76

5 (return) [ There is a slight difference of reading in this sloka as it occurs in the Bombay text. The sense seems to be, that since everything is destined to die, why should I fear to do my duty.]

6 (return) [ The last line is read incorrectly, I think, in the Bombay text.]

7 (return) [ The second fine of 12 is read incorrectly in the Bengal text. Instead of tathapi the true reading (as in the Bombay edition) is tavapi.]

8 (return) [ Kula-samhanana-jnana, i.e., ‘knowledge of Kula,’ as also of samhanana, which latter, as Nilakantha explains, means the body. A knowledge of the body, of vital and other limbs, was possessed by every accomplished warrior who wanted to smite effectually.]

9 (return) [ i.e., who will feel it humiliating for him to walk behind Drona?

10 (return) [ A substantial difference of reading occurs here between the Bengal and the Bombay texts. Both have defects of their own. It seems to me that Drona, as leader, proceeded in the van. Karna, when described as proceeding at the head of all bowmen, must be taken marching at the head of the whole rear guard. In the case, his position would be immediately behind Drona’s.]

11 (return) [ Lit, “placed army to their right,” i.e., these birds wheeled to the left of thy host, which is an evil omen.]

12 (return) [ The first line of 23 is read with a slight variation in the Bengal text. The words ‘nothing could be seen save Drona’s arrows’ are added here to make the sense clear.]

13 (return) [ Probably, a ready instrument.]

14 (return) [ The sense seems to be that having carefully attained Arjuna in arms he has got the fruit of his care and labour in the form of defeat and death at the hands of, or, at least, through, his own pupil.]

15 (return) [ This sentence comprises 7, 8 and the first line of 9: I have followed the exact order of the original. The peculiarity of the Sanskrit construction is that the Nominative Pronoun is made to stand in apposition with a noun in the objective case. The whole of this Section contains many such sentences.]

16 (return) [ 10 and 11 also refer to Ajatasatru.]

17 (return) [ Ghatotkacha was the son of Hidimva by Bhimasena. Rakshasi women bring forth the very day they conceive, and their offspring attain to youth the very day they are born!

18 (return) [ Hayaraja, lit., the prince of steeds. He was an Asura, otherwise called Kesi, in the form of a steed.]

19 (return) [ i.e., without weapons of any kind.]

20 (return) [ Kaliprasanna Singha, in his Bengali translation, makes a mess of this Sloka.]

21 (return) [ Jarasandha, the powerful king of the Magadhas, and the sworn foe of Krishna, was slain by Bhima through Krishna’s instigation.]

22 (return) [ viz., the transplantation of the Parijata from Amaravati to the earth.]

23 (return) [ Though gods, they have taken their births as men, and, they must achieve their objects by human means. It is for this that they do not, by a fiat only of their will, destroy this host.]

24 (return) [ The Bengal Texts read this verse incorrectly. For Prataptam, the correct reading is satatam; and for anukarinas, the correct word is asukarinas.]

25 (return) [ The Bengal reading is Sura-vyala. The Bombay texts reads Sulav-yala. I adopt the latter. Vajinas, in Prani-vaji-nishevitam, is explained by Nilakantha to mean fowl or bird.]

26 (return) [ It is evident that the very minuteness with which the comparison is sought to be sustained, destroys the effect. Regarding the repetition, they are just such as one may expect to find in verses composed extempore.]

27 (return) [ This verse is read incorrectly in the Bengal texts. For hayan read Dhanus.]

28 (return) [ The word “heroic” occurs in the next verse.]

29 (return) [ The word in the original are Sampata, Abhighata, and Nipata.]

30 (return) [ Nishka, literally, a golden coin, whose weight is diversely stated by diverse authorities.]

31 (return) [ I adopt the Bengal reading which is Vidhayaivam. The Bombay reading is Vihayainam, meaning ‘leaving Yudhishthira.‘]

32 (return) [ Soldiers sworn to conquer or die. Instead of using a long-winded phrase each time the word occurs, it is better to repeat it in this form.]

33 (return) [ The second line reads differently in the Bombay text.]

34 (return) [ It seems that the text here is vicious. It certainly requires settling. One complete Sloka seems to be wanting.]